Rack for household utensils



1949- P. D. STARR RACK FOR HOUSEHOLD UTENSILS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 23, 1947 pfiizgw, Stan?" Feb. 15, 1949. P. D. STARR RACK FOR HOUSEHOLD UTENSILS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25, 1947 Feb. 15, 1949. P. D. STARR RACK FOR HOUSEHOLD UTENSILS Filed June 23, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 T I x Q r g kw; $5 mum wig I Q Mimi N I I S? QNHH HID) l ll a 3mm Phizqnastarr Patented Feb. 15, 1949 RACK FOR HOUSEHOLD UTENSILS Philip D. Starr, College Park, Md., assignor to Tre-Fold Products, Inc., College Park, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application June 23, 1947, Serial No. 756,398

10 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for holding household utensils for display, storage, and transportation. Particularly, it is designed for chinaware, and is here shown for holding tea cups. It will be understood, however, that this disclosure is illustrative and not restrictive, as the invention may be adapted, without departing from the principle involved, to other utensil-s which it is desired to display, store, and transport.

Briefly stated, it comprises a series of resilient holding clips, preferably of open substantially circular formation for resiliency, so designed as to permit the free clip ends to nest, under pressure, within the body of the circular loop portions, the circular contour of the clips conforming to the interior of the cups or other utensils mounted on them. The clips are so disposed relative to one another as to engage the cup interior and the heel of the cup and hold them firmly against shifting. Such clips may be secured to provide means for holding a plurality of cups or other utensils.

In the drawings forming part of this disclosure, several forms of the invention, all embodying the same structural and functional principles, are shown, and in said drawings:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of the device, a cup being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of a slightly modified form of the device.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the device, showing a slight structural variation.

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation of another variant form of the device.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the form shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a view in side elevation of still another form of the invention.

7 Figure 9 is a top plan view of thedevice shown in Figure 8, parts being broken away for clearness of illustration.

Figure 10 is a view in side elevation showing the clips and base integrally formed.

Figure 11 is a view in plan of the form of the invention shown in Figure '10.

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view substantially on the line |2--I'2, Figure 1.

Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view on substantially the line I3l3, Figure 3.

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view on substantially the line |4l4, Figure 5.

Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view on substantially the line I5I5, Figure 6 Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view on substantially the line Iii-l6, Figure 8.

In the description which follows, reference numerals designating the structural parts will be used, the same numbers indicating the same parts in the several views.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, a base Ill is provided to which the circular clips I I may be secured in any suitable manner. Base Ill and clips ll may be formed integrally if desired. Any number of clips ll may be provided, dependent onthe particular use to which the device is to be adapted. Base 10 and clips ll may be formed of any suitable material such as for example plastics, metal, or indurated fibre. Any material having the necessary stability and resiliency to meet the objects of the invention may be used.

Clips I l are of generally circular form and preferably approximate the interior contour of the utensil. Their free ends I2 will be so related to the body of the clip, that, when compressed,

there will be suiiicient clearance to permit the body portion of the clip to nest within the body of the utensil, as shown in Figure 1. The utensil, here shown as a tea cup (see dotted lines Figure 1), will be engaged between adjoining clips II, with the cup snugly held by the body portion of clip H which conforms substantially to the 7 interior contour of the cup, while the foot of the cup will be engaged by the rounded free end of the next succeding clip. The form and resiliency of clips H are such, and they are so related, that the cups will be firmly yet resiliently held, and no shifting of the cups can occur and they will be held in symmetrical relation to one another with their edges substantially perpendicular to the base of the clip. Further, any jarring or shock imparted to the holder. and cups in handling or transportation will be absorbed by the resilient clips and danger of breakage eliminated. The resiliency of the clips permits the cups or other utensils mounted therein to be inserted or withdrawn without difficulty and without any likelihood of breakage.

The device-herein disclosed permits the ready insertion and removal of the cups and is especially useful in connection with delicate china, as the cups are held firmly in postion and can be conveniently displayed, stored, 'or transported without danger of displacement of the cups. Cups assembled in the manner shown in this device may be readily shipped by inserting the holder in a suitable shipping container and displacement of 3 the cups in transit is efiectively guarded against. Plastic or indurated fibre may be colored to harmonize or contrast with decorated ware to produce pleasing color effects, and if metal is used it can be coated with any desired colored coating.

The invention as shown in Figures 3 and 4 is of the same general make-up as that shown in Figures 1 and 2, except that the clip body is concave in cross section, as shown at l3, to provide surfaces which will help to guide the foot portion of the cup as it is inserted and withdrawn to more surely set the cup in proper position, and reduce friction against delicate ware. Further, in this form of the invention, the clips H are spaced somewhat from one another to give more clearance, adapting the device to cups or other utensils having a thicker or more protruding bottom portion.

In Figures 5 and 14 the clips H are shown as spaced from the base Ill to a greater distance from the base of the clip than in Fig. 1 to permit the handle of the cup, shown in dotted lines, to be housed between the clip and base so it will not project outwardly beyond the limits of clip and base and danger of handle breakage is eliminated.

In Figures 6, 7, and 15 an alternative construction to perform the function of the concave cross section of Figures 3 and 4 is shown. In this form of the invention the foot gripping end clips are slotted as at l4 so that the foot of the cup as shown in Figure 6 will ride in the slot when it is inserted and removed.

In Figures 8, 9, and 16 another equivalent form of construction is shown. In this form of the invention, the loops [5 will be made or spring wire so as to provide an open clip between the limbs of which the foot of the cup will ride when inserted and withdrawn and be guided to and from its position. The wire loops [5 may, if desired, be covered by a plastic or other coating it so as to prevent direct contact between the wire and the cup eliminating any possibility of marring or scratching the cup due to friction.

In Figures 10 and 11, the device is shown with the base ll, a single cup engaging 100p I8, and a single end loop [9 integrally formed. It will be understood that, as stated, this integral formation of the base and the loops may be carried out with any number of single clips as distinguished from mounting the loops on an independent base as shown and described in connection with the other figures.

As shown in several figures, the end loops of the series are preferably made smaller than the other loops. The small end loops, asshown in Figs. 1, 5, 6, and 8, while they engage the foot of the cup as do the other clips, are substantially covered by the foot of the utensil and there is no objectionable or unsightly protrusion of the end clip. This adds materially to the appearance of the device when the cups are assembled on it.

Particular constructions have been shown in drawings, but it will be understood that such variations in structure as involve only mechanical skill and are comprehended by the appended claims are to be regarded as within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a resilient clip having a base, and a curved body portion in spaced relation to the base and connected thereto, and provided with a free end conforming substantially to the interior contour of a utensil to engage the cup portion of the utensil, and an opposed resilient curved clip connected to said first clip and bearing against the body portion of the first clip to engage the foot portion of the utensil and maintain it with its edge substantially perpendicular to the base of the clip.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the resilient clips'are spaced longitudinally from one another.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the resilient clips are in the form of open circular loops.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the resilient clips are in the form of open circular loops the free ends of each loop being collapsible under pressure within the body of the'loop.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the free ends of the resilient clips have areas concave in cross-section.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the free ends of the resilient clips are slotted through a portion of their utenSilengaging areas.

'7. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the longitudinally spaced clip members are coated with a non-abrasive material.

8. A device of the'class described comprising a base and a plurality of substantially circular resilient open clips mounted on said base, said clips each having a body portion and a free end portion, the free end portion of one clip being in contiguous relation to the body portion of another clip to engage the interior and foot portions of a cup.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 in which the clips are spaced from the base to permit nesting of the cup handles between the bottoms of the clips and the base.

10. The invention as defined in claim 8 in which an end clip of the series is smaller than the other clips to permit substantially complete cov erage by the foot of the cup.

PHILIP D. STARR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 237,821 Claussen Feb. 15, 1881 316,062 Riessner Apr. 21', 1885 340,419 Clason Apr. 20, 1886 635,295 Brown Oct. 24, 1899 724,926 Olney, Jr Apr. 7, 1903 1,248,760 Wallin Dec. 4, 1917 1,746,577 Berglund et a1. Feb. 11, 1930 

